by Chef Carol Murphy Clyne
Carol Murphy Clyne is a visiting instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in the Food Enthusiasts program at the Hyde Park campus and the new Manhattan facility, the CIA at Astor Center. Her passion is teaching young chefs the skills they need to integrate better food choices into their fast-paced lives. She was the chef-owner of a 70-seat scratch kitchen, café and catering business in New Jersey for 20 years. For any questions, visit Chef Carol at www.chefscool.com
GNOCCHI AND GARLICKY GREEN BEANS
Making a potful of pillowy potato dumplings from scratch is a hands-on process that kids enjoy. My daughter Emily and I saw this gnocchi recipe on Lidia Bastianich’s TV show awhile ago, and making them has become a tradition that still brings us together and makes us laugh. While any baking potato can be used here, Yukon Golds add a buttery creaminess and a potato ricer is my tool of choice. The hotter the potato is riced, the lighter the gnocchi, but a potato masher or fork will do. We find this dough makes the lightest and fluffiest dumplings, however it is delicate and should not be overworked. Gnocchi need to be cooked right away but reheat and freeze perfectly. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, it’s actually quite easy but detailed to guide you through the process if you’ve never made them.
Yield: 8 entrée servings
START ORGANIZED:
INGREDIENTS EQUIPMENT
2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes baking sheets liquid measuring cups
2½ tablespoons kosher salt (about) bench scraper measuring spoons
1½ pounds green beans colander microplane
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil cutting board pairing knife
3 cloves garlic dinner fork parchment paper
2 large eggs dry measuring cups potato ricer
12½ ounces unbleached extra large sauté scale (optional)
all-purpose flour (about) pan skimmer
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, heat proof spatula small and medium
plus additional cheese large stock pot bowls
for garnish with lid whisk
½ teaspoon black pepper wooden spoon
¼ whole nutmeg
COOK WITH A KISS:
1. Microwave:
|
2½ pounds |
Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, pierced several
times with fork (about 6 large potatoes) Or bake potatoes at 400ºF for about 1 hour. Any high starch baking potato, like an Idaho or Russet can be substituted. |
on high, rotating potatoes every 5 minutes until flesh feels soft when pierced, about 15 - 20 minutes. Using kitchen towel to protect hands, slice hot potatoes so they will fit into potato ricer. Place flesh side down into ricer and push flesh through and onto baking sheet. Discard skins. You’ll need about 5½ cups riced potato. With fork or bench scraper, fluff pulp out into even layer on baking sheet. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. Fill an 8-quart stockpot with:
|
5 quarts |
cold water |
|
2 tablespoons |
kosher salt The water should taste like mild seawater. This will add another layer of flavor to the finished dish. But if using fine table salt, decrease amount to 1 tablespoon. |
cover with a lid and over high heat bring water to a boil.
3. Add:
|
1½ pounds |
fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and cut in ½ Actually, any vegetable would be delicious. |
to boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes for each batch. Remove with skimmer, run under cold water and drain. Save pot of water to boil gnocchi.
4. In 12-inch sauté pan put:
|
¼ cup |
extra virgin olive oil (2 ounces) |
|
I tablespoon |
garlic, minced (ounce or 3 cloves) If clove has a green sprout, remove it. It is
sprout, remove it. |
|
|
bitter and can ruin the dish. |
and over medium low, cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
5. In 2-quart bowl combine:
|
1½ cups |
unbleached all-purpose flour (7½ ounces) |
|
½ cup |
Pecorino Romano, finely grated (2 ounces) |
|
1½ teaspoons |
kosher salt*If using fine table or sea salt, decrease to ¾ teaspoon |
|
½ teaspoon |
black pepper, freshly ground |
|
teaspoon |
whole nutmeg, freshly grated If using nutmeg purchased already ground, decrease |
|
|
to a tiny pinch. |
And evenly sprinkle over potatoes. With bench scraper, gently combine ingredients; scoop up potatoes and toss with dry ingredients for about 1 minute.
6. In 1-quart bowl whisk together:
|
1 |
large whole egg (2 ounces) |
|
1 |
large egg yolk (ounce) |
and evenly drizzle over potatoes. With bench scraper, combine ingredients; scoop up and toss them together for about 1 minute. It will look like a crumbly mess. Gather crumbs and push/gently knead them into cohesive dough, taking about 2 minutes. Roll dough into a log and cut into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope the length of baking sheet long ways, about 12 inches. Dust ropes with flour. The dough may split, just pinch it together. Try to make the ropes all the same diameter, about ½ inch. The result will be gnocchi of the same size so they cook evenly, ultimately tasting and looking the most delicious.
7. Line up 2 dough ropes at a time and with bench scraper cut into ½-inch pieces. Lightly dust pieces with flour so they don't stick. In one hand, hold fork by handle, backside up. With other hand, line up top of 1 dough piece with top of fork tines, cut side out. Press top of dough with thumb and pulling down, roll dough down tines of fork. This will make tine indentation on bottom side and smooth curved shape on top side. With index finger and thumb, roll gnocchi off fork and onto lightly floured baking sheet. Roll out all dough in same manner. Place gnocchi, as it is rolled out, onto very lightly floured parchment paper so that the paper can be picked up and assist in pouring the gnocchi into water.
8. Working in 4 batches, add gnocchi to boiling water, several at a time. Gently stir gnocchi several times to separate any that may have stuck together. Once the gnocchi float to surface, cook for another minute. Too many in pot at once will flatten bottom gnocchi.
9. Turn heat to medium under sauté pan. Add green beans to pan and toss. As gnocchi batches are cooked, lift them out of the water with skimmer and put them in sauté pan with green beans. Gently toss. After all gnocchi is added, raise heat to medium high, add ¾ cup of pasta water and simmer for 1 minute. Toss in:
|
½ cup |
Pecorino Romano, grated, packed (2 ounces) plus additional cheese
Cheese curls make a great garnish. |
|
|
for garnish Cheese curls are a lovely garnish and are fun to make; slide swivel blade |
|
|
peeler over block of cheese and peel curls. |
Toss, taste and adjust seasonings.
More Gnocchi Cheat Notes:
Once cooked, gnocchi can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months. Place cooked gnocchi on a baking sheet to cool quickly and drizzle with about ¼ cup olive oil to prevent sticking. Once cooled, wrap well with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container for storage. Defrost dumplings and reheat in sauté pan, as in step 9, or even easier, warm right on baking sheet in 400ºF oven until hot and slightly golden, about 20 minutes.
When making dough a light touch and the minimum flour makes lighter gnocchi. The finished dough should feel moist but not sticky; if it is too sticky sprinkle in the least flour necessary.
The ingredients need not look fully incorporated, specks of egg yolk might still be visible.
Once dough is cut into 8 pieces, wash, dry and lightly flour hands. From this point on, flour is not being incorporated into dough and won't make the gnocchi heavy. Use what's necessary to prevent sticking.
To roll into ropes: Spread fingers across center of dough and with light pressure roll dough back and forth moving fingers from center to end. Repeat gently rolling from center to end several times until rope is an even thickness of about ½ inch.
Nutrition
Per Entrée Serving: 373 Calories; 13g Fat (31.7% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 70mg Cholesterol; 640mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fat.
Recipe © 2008 by Carol Murphy Clyne and Vincent Clyne. All rights reserved.